Today in History:

321 Series I Volume XLV-I Serial 93 - Franklin - Nashville Part I

Page 321 Chapter LVII. CAMPAIGN IN NORTH ALA. AND MIDDLE TENN.

of the pike, so as to rake the pike in case the enemy secured a lodgment at the barricade across the pike. The enemy having reached the second line of works, this section fired several rounds in conjunction with the First Kentucky Light Battery and Twentieth Ohio Light Battery and Bridges' Battery Illinois Light Artillery, and held him in check until Colonel Opdycke, Second Division, Fourth Army Corps, rallied his brigade and retook the second line upon the right of the pike. The enemy appearing to continue to assault this position, at 5 p.m. the remaining section of Bridges' Battery Illinois Light Artillery was placed in position upon the right of the former section and did good execution in conjunction with Battery B, Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, in the successive charges made upon the right center of our lines. The section of Battery G, First Ohio Light Artillery, sent out to General Wagner's division retired in good order when the advanced line was overpowered. Upon the left of General Reilly's line a railroad cut run at an angle of about thirty degrees from the front of our line of works; this presented a very good cover to the enemy, and he was quick to take advantage of it, throwing his column into the cut. Lieutenant S. Canby, commanding Battery M, Fourth U. S. Artillery, very promptly placed one section of his battery in position so as to enfilade his line completely in the railroad cut. Captain Marshall, commanding Battery G, First Ohio Light Artillery, also placed a section of his battery, Lieutenant Bills commanding, in position, so as to co-operate with Battery M in playing upon the railroad cut above mentioned. Receiving orders from Brigadier-General Cox, commanidng the twenty-third Army Corps, and Lieutenant-Colonel Schofield, chief of artillery, Department of the Ohio, to remain upon the line with the batteries, I remained near the Columbia pike, which seemed to be the place upon the line where the enemy made the most effort to obtain a lodgment, which was a position from which I could see the entire line. All the batteries were fought with the utmost skill and gallantry, and assisted very materially in repulsing the enemy's repeated charges. At 7 p.m., receiving orders from Major-General Stanley to withdraw all the batteries of my command from the line and cross the Harpeth River, I withdrew the eight batteries in position and crossed the river without the loss of a gun or man in the withdrawal. Upon going to the Twentieth Ohio Light Battery to order it withdrawal from the line, I found that Lieutenant Burdick, commanding, had been mortally wounded a few moments previously, and nearly one-half of his battery and quite a number of his horses disabled. There being no other officer with this battery, I made application to Colonel Opdycke, commanding the First Brigade, Second Division, Fourth Army Corps, for a company of infantry to haul off the guns to the pike. Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, commanding the Eighty-eighth Illinois Infantry, reported a company to Lieutenant L. D. Immell, acting inspector of the artillery of this corps, who took command of the battery and brought it safely off the line and over the river.

I desire to mention the gallant and meritorious conduct of Lieutenant Immell and the company of the Eighty-eighth Illinois Infantry that assisted very materially in withdrawing the Twentieth Ohio Light Battery from the works, while the enemy was assaulting the position.

To Captain W. F. Godspeed, assistant chief of artillery, and Lieutenant George W. James, acting assistant adjutant-general, too much credit cannot be given for their constant and efficient services rendered day and night during the campaign.

21 R R-VOL XLV, PT I


Page 321 Chapter LVII. CAMPAIGN IN NORTH ALA. AND MIDDLE TENN.